Just Like Floating on a ….. Cloud Pastry

Another new week is here already. Can you believe that we are already in the last week of January? It seems as though we were just celebrating Christmas! Before you know it everyone will be getting ready for Easter, and then it will be swimsuit and BBQ time! I honestly cannot wait until summer. I am so anxious to fire up the barbeque and get some amazing salad recipes rolling out. (And of course some absolutely glorious dessert recipes!) But at the moment we are still looking at a little bit of snow, somehow we barely got a dusting while our friends to the north, south, and east, all got completely buried. I can’t say that I’m sad that it missed us because I am so ready for spring!

I’ve been doing some research lately on trending foods of 2016 to give me some new, and inspiring, ideas to work with. Of course there are some crazy foods that are popping up, and some just crazy enough I had to try. I ran across one, I have no idea where it came from, but it is everywhere. Where it originated I don’t know, but I can tell you that it was crafted for those who believe that carbs are evil, or for those who just can’t tolerate them. I am not one of those people, but I do know a lot of people really feel the need to keep them low. While I don’t, I still don’t mind some low carb alternatives here and there like my Low Carb Wrap that I created last year. I have to admit this new recipe was a little bit strange to me, but super interesting. It was designed to replace bread as a ZERO carb option. Yes, you heard right, zero carbs.

The name of this creation is “Cloud Bread”. I personally don’t find that it can replace bread in any way, shape, or form, BUT with a little bit of tweaking of ingredients I think that this sweet creation can absolutely replace a donut. I know that sounds insane, but I find them incredibly satisfying. They are far too delicate to use for bread like some people have said they can, but I sweetened them up, and they remind me of a delicate, fluffy, pastry. I thought it would be fun to add some chocolate cream cheese to one, but it actually took away from it, they taste best plain.

With only 4 ingredients, and 36 calories per pastry, 2 grams of protein, and zero carbs, this treat can’t be beat! (A typical pastry will run you around 11 grams of carbs and several hundred calories.) They almost melt in your mouth they are so fluffy!

They are so easy! The main task in making these is making meringue which sounds like a daunting task when you read about how to make it, but it is SO easy! Around Christmas time I tried to make meringue cookies and FAILED. I used every tip, and trick, I could find online. It was horrible. When I made these I threw everything out the window, except for having an absolutely grease free bowl. I used cold eggs, and a room temperature bowl. And when you separate your eggs make sure that there isn’t a single speck of yellow in the whites. Then beat the whites into an absolute frenzy! When you can tip the bowl over, and they stay put, you know that they are done. Then the “hard’ part is over. You can pop them in the oven (They take 45 minutes to cook, don’t try to rush them or they will burn.) and when they are done, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Cloud Pastries

By Angie Gouchenour

4 servings

Ingredients

2 eggs – separated

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

2 Tablespoons Neufchatel Cream Cheese

2 teaspoons Truvia zero calorie sweetener

Directions

Pre heat oven to 250’f

Separate egg whites from yolks placing the egg whites in a metal bowl (no grease residue) and the yolks in a different bowl

Add the cream cheese and Truvia to the yolks and put to the side

Add cream of tartar to the egg whites and blend on medium speed until foamy, then increase to medium high. Beat until your whites have become stiff, glossy peeks. (Hold your bowl upside down to see if the whites stay put)

Using the same beaters blend the egg yolks, cream cheese, and Stevia together

Using a spatula gently fold the yellows into the meringue

Spoon onto a non stick cookie sheet and smooth out with the back of the spoon (They will hold whatever shape, or bumps, that are made at this point)

Place in your pre heated oven for 45 minutes

Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack until cooled

Place in a container. Make sure to put wax paper between each pastry so they don’t stick together